Dispensing cup assembly containing a food concentrate



Feb. 18, 1964 TOMS 3,121,636

DISPENSING cu? ASSEMBLY commune A FOOD CONCENTRATE Filed April 6, 1961PIC-ll INVENTOR. LEE TOMS United States Patent 3,121,636 DISPENSING CUPASSEMBLY CONTAINING A FOOD CONCENTRATE Lee Toms, RD. 2, Arcola Road,Collegeville, Pa.

Filed Apr. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 101,213 3 Claims. (Cl. 9978) The presentinvention relates to containers for use in coin operated vendingmachines and more particularly to the packaging of dry food concentrates(such as colfee, tea, chocolate, soups or the like) in stackable cups,preterably of the well known Dixie Cup type.

In some machines for dispensing cups from a stack, it is the practice touse empty cups which are removed, one at a time, in response to a coincontrolled mechanism, and then automatically filled with hot or coldliquid refreshment. Such machines have involved electrical controlswhich are not only expensive but require constant repairs and attendantexpense.

In other machines empty cups are delivered directly to the user whopicks a concentrate filled envelope from a pile adjacent the machine,puts the contents in the cup and then adds hot or cold liquid. Theseparate packaging of the concentrate and the required handling addmaterially to the cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaged cupsuitable for stacking and use in a vending machine wherein thedisadvantages above set forth are overcome.

Another object is to provide a packaged assembly wherein a measuredquantity of a dry food concentrate is placed in a cup of the type usedin coin operated vending machines in association with a closure forsealing the concentrate from the atmosphere.

A further object is to provide a packaged assembly wherein a novelremovable insert which serves to cover a measured quantity of dry foodconcentrate in a cup while providing means as an interfitting supportfor a superposed cup.

Generally considered the invention comprises an assembly including adispensing cup with a portion of dry food concentrate in combinationwith a fitted insert in the cup separating the concentrate from the airand having an upper face forming a sealing support for a superposed cupfor stacking relation. Each insert has a tab for removing an insertwhile a breakable bonding seal joins the insert to the inner wall of thecup.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of insert which forms a part ofthe novel assembly;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

'FIG. 3 is a vertical axial section view of a stack of cups accord-ingto the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a section view on line 4-4 orf FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the assembly and method of the inventionincludes a cup of the type suitable for telescopic stacking, such forexample as the wellknown Dixie Cup, which is of inverted truncated coneconfiguration with a depressed bottom 11, :formed by a circumferentialflange 1 2, as a continuation of the cup wall to define an inwardlydisposed cavity. Under usual stacking procedure each empty cup seatsupon the next lower cup by its bead 13, and since the cups are each ofequal length the stack has the general appearance of a unitary column.

By the invention, the stacking of such cups has been modified without,however, affecting the appearance of the stacked column or the ease withwhich the cups can be removed one at a time for use.

Primarily the invention includes an insert 14 to be snugly fitted into acup 10 after a measured quantity of dry food concentrate 15 has beenplaced in the cup '10 "ice and as so placed forms an airtight closureover the material. Such concentrate 15 may be coflee, tea, chocolate,soup or any edible material soluble in a liquid. The insert 1 4 ispreferably sheet aluminum pressed into an upstanding cylindrical bodyhaving a plane top face encircled by a V-shaped upwardly opening groove17 formed by an inner wall 218 depending from the periphery of the bodyface and an outer wall 16. The depth of the groove .17 extends wellbelow the plane of the body face in order to telescopically receive thecircumferential bottom flange 12 of the cup above. The outer wall 16 ofthe insert is complemental to the internal diameter of a cup 10 in orderto seal the wall \16 with its periphery flush against the cup wall. Whenso positioned the insert body face is spaced from the bottom of the cupto form a cavity to store a measured quantity of food concentrate.

As a means 'for removing an insert 14 from a cup 10, there is a tab 20formed integnal therewith to project up wardly towards the mouth of thecup ready to be grasped when the insert is to be removed. When aplurality of the cups are in stacked condition, as in normal use, eachtab 20 lies in the space 21 between adjacent cup walls. This space 21 ismade possible because the telescoping cups are supported from the bottominstead of from the respective top beads.

As a means for completely seal-ing the material housed by the insertfrom the atmosphere a bonding compound 22 is applied to the outersurface of the insert in position to seal the joint between the flange16 and the cup .10. The compound 22 is preferably one capable ofpermitting the seal to break by heat or under the tension applied toremove the insert Without leaving any trace on the cup wall. The exactnature of the compound is immaterial so long as it is suitable for thepurpose.

In carrying out the method of assembly, a measured quantity of coffee orthe like is poured into a cup, generally enough to provide one servingper person. The member 14 is now inserted and brought down to positionwhere its cavity seats over the coffee and its flange 16 fits snuglyagainst the inner wall of the cup. As so positioned the sealing materialcloses the joint as a final breakable bond. As each cup is prepared, asabove explained, the plurality of cups are stacked one within the otherin superposed relation with the bottom flange 12 of each seating in thegroove 17 of the cup below to be supported by the member 14.

With the stack completed it is mounted in the vending machine fordispensing one prepared cup at a time to the customer, who then takeshold of the cup tab 22 and withdraws the member 14 to leave the coffeeexposed. Hot or cold liquid is then delivered into the cup to dissolvethe concentrate and give a full cup for drinking.

It will now be apparent that a novel assembly has been devised forpackaging frusto-conical cups of the type used in coin-operated vendingmachines whereby it is now possible to assemble a stack of cups eachhaving an individual portion of dry food concentrate ready to receivehot or cold liquid for each removed cup. Further the assembly includes aunique interfitting joining of one cup to another while maintaining acomplete sealing of the concentrate from the air.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A cup dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of nested'fnusto-conical cups, a circumferential flange depending from the bottomof each cup, a dry food concentrate in each cup, an insert fitted ineach cup as a closure over said concentrate, said insert comprising acylindrical body having a plane top face encircled by a V-shaped flangeforming an upwardly opening relatively deep groove extending below theplane of said face to receive the bottom flange of a superposed cup andshorten the normal combined length of a pair of concentrate containingtelescoping cups, and a projecting tab on said insert for removalpurpose.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein a breakable bond is providedbetween said insert and said cup to seal said concentrate from theatmosphere.

3. A cup dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of cups of thetruncated cone type, a circumferential flange formed aboutithebottom ofeacli cup, a dry food concentrate in each cup, an insert dimensioned andshaped to fit snugly in said cup above said concentrate, a breakableseal between said insert and cup to isolate the concentrate from theatmosphere, a pair of concentric integral circumferential flangesdepending from said insert to form an upwardly opening V-shaped grooveto receive the bottom flange of a superposed cup for telescopicstacking, said flanges also forming a relatively deep receiving cavityto store said concentrate, and a tab attached'to said insert for manualhandling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A CUP DISPENSING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF NESTEDFRUSTO-CONICAL CUPS, A CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE DEPENDING FROM THE BOTTOMOF EACH CUP, A DRY FOOD CONCENTRATE IN EACH CUP, AN INSERT FITTED INEACH CUP AS A CLOSURE OVER SAID CONCENTRATE, SAID INSERT COMPRISING ACYLINDRICAL BODY HAVING A PLANE TOP FACE ENCIRCLED BY A V-SHAPED FLANGEFORMING AN UPWARDLY OPENING RELATIVELY DEEP GROOVE EXTENDING BELOW THEPLANE OF SAID FACE TO RECEIVE THE BOTTOM FLANGE OF A SUPERPOSED CUP ANDSHORTEN THE NORMAL COMBINED LENGTH OF A PAIR OF CONCENTRATE CONTAININGTELESCOPING CUPS, AND A PROJECTING TAB ON SAID INSERT FOR REMOVALPURPOSE.